Elevator door operator mechanism



April 7,4 1953 W. C. CLIFT File? Feb'. 21. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l l I PY g /m' 57'] 'E 159 a Wlz'; 53 652%@ /k y in l.: 153 1?/ 2f @Lf I mae@ A TTORN E YS April 7, 1953 w. c. cLlFT 2,633,932

ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATOR MECHANISM Filed Feb. 21, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 2 lvVENToR; I MII/1am (7W,

By @H ATTORNEYS.

April 7, 1953 w. c. 'cLlF-r ELsvAToR Dooa OPERATOR MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 21 1951 ATTORNEYS.

April 7, 1953 w. c. cLlFT 2,633,932

ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATOR MECHANISM Filed Feb, 21, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGLJ INVENTOR.- Wmnam,

BY @KQ/ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE ELEVATOR. DOOR OPERATOR MECHANISM William C. Clift, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application February 21, 1951, Serial No. 211,993

11 Claims. 1 This invention relates to apparatus for opermounted on the cab of an elevator to operate the elevator shaft doors on the different floors of a building.

Elevator door operating mechanisms are conventionally installed on each individual iioor of the buildingin which the elevator operates, and are generally in the form of separate motoroperated mechanisms permanently connected to the elevator shaft doors which they serve to open and close. n Thus in buildings having a multiplicity of floors large' numbers of separate door operating mechanisms are required; This requires a rather considerable capital investment in machinery and also raises the maintenance charges for opening and closing the shaft doors to a considerable extent. While it has previously been proposed broadly to mount a motor on the elevator cab to connect with operating mechanisms attached to the doors on each floor, no such mechanism has ever been entirely satisfactory or dependable. Some of the devices previously proposed depend upon frictional engagement for effecting door operation, and these are objectionable in that positive action is not attained, and the friction parts require excessive maintenance. It is accordingly one object of the invention to provide an emcient, reliable mech anism capable of being mounted on the elevator cab itself with capacity to operate by direct mechanical connection the elevator shaft doors of a plurality of different floors.

Another disadvantage inherent in conventional door operating devices is that they are ordinarily very heavy and could not effectively be mounted on an elevator cab without materially decreasing the load carrying capacity of the elevator. It is accordingly another object of the invention to provide a relatively simple, light weight elevator door operating mechanism.

Frequently individual electric power circuits for operating elevator mechanisms fail by reason of defects in fuses or circuit breakers, or mechanical diculties in the `elevator operating mechanism. In many conventional installations such power failure interrupts elevator service for excessive periods of time. Therefore it is a still further object of this invention to provide an elevator door operating mechanism including readily accessible mechanical means for operating theelevator shaft doors in the event of power failure.

It has previously been proposed to provide door operating devices which may be mounted on the cab of an elevator and connected to drive means located within the elevator shaft. However such devices have not proved commercially successful in that the natural sway of the elevator as it moves up and down the shaft tends to disengage the connections which are essential to the operation vof the door operating mechanism. It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a door operating mechanism substantially unaffected by sway of the elevator.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide a door operating device which may be installed with minimum labor and material, which may be applied as an attachment to existing elevator equipment with minimum alterations, and which is economical to operate.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will appear in further detail hereinafter, and in the drawings, whereof:

Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of an elevator cab carrying a door operating mechanism which constitutes one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the door operating mechanism which appears in Fig. l, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows II--IL which appear in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a side elevation similar to Fig.i 2 showing a modied form of the invention; an

Fig. 4 represents an electric wiring diagram indicating the electric connections for the door operating mechanisms shown in Figs. 1-3.

In summary, the foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained by the present invention, wherein the elevator door operating device is adapted to be mounted in an elevator cab and comprises door engaging means on said cab, means for moving the door engaging means `up and down, and means for advancing and retracting said door engaging means toward and away from the door to effect engagement with and disengagement from said door.

The two embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings are representative of preferred structures in accordance with the invention, and may be modified in many particulars without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Referring now to Figs. -1 and 2 of the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the invention is mounted on the elevator cab Il! which is suspended by the cab hoist cables Il for movement 3 up and down within the shaft walls I2. At each floor of the building openings are provided in the shaft walls I2, such openings being normally closed by the upper and lower elevator shaft doors I 3, I4 -which move vertically away from one another in the tracks 23, 2| to open the door aperture to permit loading and unloading the elevator. The doors I3, I4 are conventionally connected together, as by the door chain I and door chain sprocket I3 which is pivotally mounted for free rotation on the shaft l1 imbedded in the shaft wall I2. At one end the chain I5 is attached to lower door I4 while the other end of chain I5 is attached to door I3. Thus the movement of one door in one direction actuates the movement of the other door in the 'opposite direction, effectively opening or closing the entire shaft aperture.

One door, here illustrated as the lower door i4, carries a horizontal keeper 22. The keeper 22 is in the form of a channel having horizontal flanges 23, such channel opening toward the elevator shaft.

Attached to the bottom ofthe cab I B are a pair of corner angle irons 25 through each of which is projected a riser pivot shaft 25 which has an enlarged end 21. Pivotally mounted on the riser pivot shaft 25 is riser track 33, which is in the form of a substantially upright channel having inturned flanges 3 I. Each riser track 30 is maintained laterally in position on riser pivot shaft 23 by a pair of spaced washers 32 and nut 33 (Fig. 1). Bracket 34, fixed to the elevator cab near the top of each riser track 3U, surrounds and serves as a guide for the riser track 33 as it pivots about shaft 26. A riser track pull rod 35, pivotally attached to each riser track 36 near its upper end, serves to swing the riser track in and out about its pivot, causing it to tilt toward and away from the keeper 22. Each pull rod 35 is guided by pull rod guide bracket 3S. A crank lever 31 is pivotally mounted on each shaft 43 fixed to the wall of cab I0. Shafts 4I! each extend through the cab wall and have hexagonal recesses 38 which engage with a corresponding hexagonal projection on removable crank 33, which may be moved manually to advance and retract the riser track 3G. One arm 4I of each crank lever 31 is pivotally attached to the end of each pull rod 35while`a chain 42 is attached to the free end of the other arm 43 of crank lever 31. Each chain 42 is trained around and attached to the sprocket pinion 44 mounted on drive shaft 45 of torque motor 45 which is mounted on top of cab I0. Spring `41 bearsagainst each guide bracket 36 and against the enlarged end 43 of the corresponding pull rod 35, and is maintained under compression to urge the pull rod 35 continuously toward the position represented in solid lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Upon energization of torque motor 46 the chains 42 are immediately drawn upwardly against the resistance of spring 41, moving crank lever arms 4I, pull rods 35, and riser tracks 30 to the positions shown in dash lines in Fig. 2.

A follower block 49 is slidably mounted within the channel of each riser track 30, and confined therein by the inturned flanges 3I. A door operator arm 5I is rigidly attached to each follower 49, between auxiliary blocks 50 which are slidably disposed against the outside surfaces of the inturned flanges 3l. A continuous chain 52 is attached by means of adjustable chain links 53 to the upper and lower ends of each block 50, and trained with moderate slack about the rdrive gear 4 54 and idler gear 55. Each drive gear 54 is mounted on drive shaft 56 rotatably supported above the top of the cab I0 by drive shaft bearings 51. Drive shaft 5E is rotated by electric motor 50 operating through reduction gear 6I, sprocket 32, 63, and drive chain 34. Motor 3) is reversible and serves to move the door operator arm 5I up and down to close and open the elevator shaft doors when door operator arm 5I is engaged within keeper 22. The movement of riser track 30 about its pivot advances and retracts the door operator arm 5I toward and away from keeper channel 22 to effect engagement and disengagement thereof.

Electric means are provided for controlling the automatic operation of the device. The number 65 represents a normally closed switch mounted on the cab side in the path of movement of the rear end of arm 5I. Switch 35 is maintained open by arm 5I when riser track 3l) is tilted rearwardly, Switch 63 is mounted at a xed point in the elevator shaft, as on wall I2 to the side of the elevator cab, and is normally open. It is closed by projection 31 which is xed to the door I3 and serves to close switch 65 when doors I3, I4 are closed. The reference number i3 designates a normally closed switch mounted on shaft wall I2 in the plane of movement of cam 1i fixed on riser track 30. Switch 13 is opened by Ycam 1I when riser track 33 is shifted forwardly, to the position represented in solid lines in Fig. 2. Switches 12, 13 (Fig. 4) represent car operator switches actuated by a 'car operator lever of the character conventionally mounted for manual operation within the cab. As will appear hereinafter, switches 12, I3 are also connected to torque motor 46 to shift the riser track 33 about its pivot. Switch 12 is closed by movement of the car op erator lever in one direction and serves to energize the elevator hoist motor to move the elevator cab I5 up the shaft, while switch 'I3 is closed by movement of the car operator lever in the opposite direction and also connects to the hoist motor for movement of the cab I3 down the shaft. Switches 14, 15 (Fig. 4) represent switches manually operable from within cab I0. Switch 14 closes a circuit moving arm 5l` downwardly to open doors I3, I4, while vswitch 15 returns arm 3l upwardly to close the doors.

Normally closed switch 16 is mounted on the side ofcab I3 in the path of movement of arm 5I and is opened by contact with arm 5I when doors I3, I4 are closed. Normally closed limit 'switch 11 is also mounted on the side of cab I0 Vat a level corresponding' to the position of arm 5I when doors I3, I4 are open. Switch I1 is actuated by arm 5I and opened thereby when doors I3, I4 are fully open.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4 of the drawings, LI, L2, L3, L4 represent individual load lines or wires. Switch 63 is connected directly to load line L3 and to the switches 12, 13. Switches 12, 13 are in turn respectively wired through the coils of relays BG, SI to load line LI. l-Ioist motor H is energized through the switch of relay and through the switch of relay 32 to move the elevator cab upwardly, and is similarly energized through relays 8l, 83 for movement downwardly. Switch 10 is included in the circuit energizing the coils of relays 82, 33 tor prevent the energization of the hoist motor H until riser track 5I is retracted.

Car operator switches u12, `I3 are also each connected electrically through the coils of relays 84, and 86, 81, respectively which are mounted on cab I and arranged .in series, to the line L3 through the coil of relay 8|. The switches of relays 84, 85, 88, 81 are connected to load lines LI, L2, L2, and LI respectively and also to corresponding terminals of torque motor 46. Load line L3 is connected through switch 13 and the coils of relays 86,81 to load line LI and is also connected through switch 'I2 and the coils of relays 84, 85 to load line LI. Thus the closure of either switch 12 or 13 energizes the corresponding relay coils energizing torque motor 46, when switch 66 is closed, automatically swinging riser shaft 3E! rearwardly when the doors I3, I4 are closedl and the elevator is set into operation.

`Switch 11i is connected through switch 11 and the coils of cab-mounted relays 93, 94 to load line LI, thus closing the switches of cab-mounted relays 93, 9c to energize motor 68 in one direction, moving arm 5I downwardly to open doors I3, I4. Switch is similarly connected through switch '15 and the coils of relays 9|, `92 to load line LI to energize motor 6o in reverse direction through the switches of relays 9|, 92, raising arm 5| and closing the doors I3, I4. Switch `95 is mechanically linked with the switches of relays 94 and 9| to close when either of said switches is closed.

From the foregoing the operation of the apparatus will be apparent. The cab Ic, driven up and down the elevator shaft by the conventional hoist motor means H, is stopped at the level of any selected floor of the building, riser' track 39 then being retracted as shown in dash lines in Fig. 2 by torque motor 49. To stop the car the operator places car operator switches 12 and 13 in open position deenergizing the applicable solenoid sets y86, 81 or 84, :85, thus deenergizing torque motor @E rendering spring d1 effective to swing riser track forwardly about riser pivot shaft 26. This movement causes engagement of the forward end of arm 5| in keeper channel 22 and also permits switch 55 to close, opens switch'II, and opens switch 19. The opening of switch 'Ill prevents the energization of the hoist motor operating circuit, inactivating the hoist motor apparatus H, thereby protecting the elevator door operating apparatus from damage that Ymight otherwiseresult if switch 12 or I3 were closed and the cab I0 were raised or lowered while arm 5I is engaged within keeper channel 22. The operator then closes switch 14 which acts through switch 11 to energize solenoids 93, 94, rotating motor 60 and moving arm '5| downwardly along the riser track 39 thus permitting switch 1li to close. Switch 96 is also opened as the'doors I3, I4 are opened. Arm 5| eventually contacts and opens switch 11, opening the circuit and stopping the arm 5I. The elevator is then loaded or unloaded and the doors I3, I4 are closed in similar manner byclosing switch 15 which operates motor 99 in reverse, eventually bringing arm 5I into contact with, and closing, switch 13.V The doors I9, I4 are then completely closed, closing switch 96.

The operator may then move the car operator lever closing either switch 12 or 13, depending upon whether it is desired to move the cab Iii up or down in the elevator shaft. In either event torque motor 125 will be energized through the switches of solenoids 84, 85 or 89, 81 retracting arm 5 I4 immediately from keeper channel 22, chain 52 having suiiicient slack to permit such movement. This permits switch 1I) to close, permits switch 18 to close, and opens switch 65 which prevents,iurther'movement of Varm 5| along riser track, 30 `while riser track=30 is retracted.. Cab III. is then free to move up and down the shaft under the inuence of hoist operating Vapparatus H, actuated through relays 80, 8| operated from switches 12, 13.

A modified form of apparatus appears in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Many of the parts of such apparatus are similar to the apparatus of Fig. 2, are similarly numbered, and are not further described. However it will be observed that riser track 3G carries a pair of spaced upper and lower brackets IDD to each of which is pivotally attached a swinging arm |Il|. Swinging arms I9| are each pivoted to shaftsv |02 xed to the side wall of cab I0, and are disposed at an angle to the horizontal flanges of keeper channel 22. The chain Vd2 isattached to the upper bracket |09 and trained around idler sprocket |03 and drive sprocket MI of torque motor 46. A counterweight |04 is attached to the free end of chain 42. The weight of counterweight |04 isY slightly less than the weight of riser track 3|), providing minimum weight to be lifted by torque motor 4K5 inlifting riser shaft 30 from the position represented in solid lines in Fig. 3 to the corresponding dot-dash line position. The extent of forward swinging movement of riser track 30 is limited by limit pegs xed to cab II).

The operation of the apparatus of Fig. 3 is substantially similar to that of Fig. 2. However in Fig. 3 the riser track is. constantly maintained substantially vertical and is swung bodily through an arc to effect advancement and retraction of arm 5I toward and away from the keeper channel 22. It is lifted and thereby retracted under the influence of torque'motor 45, and permitted to drop and thereby advanced by reason of its own weight. The electric control apparatus oi the two forms of the invention may be identical. The torque'motor 46 of Fig. 3 may be relatively small since it overcomes the counterbalanced weight of riser track 3l! and is not required to overcome the relatively large resilient opposition of coil spring 41, Fig. 2.

By reason of the substantial angle of swinging arms IUI relative to the horizontal nanges of keeper channel 22,' the arm I5I has capacity to swing through a very short arc, at the proper angle for engaging and disengaging the keeper channel 22.

`It will be appreciated that, while I have shown and described vertically movable operator means for operating vertically movable doors, the same apparatus is readily applied to other conventional doors which slide horizontally or otherwise, and to conventional swinging doors. Moreover other modications, such as reversals of parts, substitution of equivalent parts, and the use of certain features independently of the use of others, all fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. An elevator door operating device adapted to be mounted on anA elevator cab, comprising a track member movably mounted on said cab with capacity to move toward and away from said door, door-engaging means movable along said track member, means for concurrently moving said track member and door-engaging means to eflect direct mechanical engagement between said door and said door-engaging means, and means in the form of a direct mechanical linkage for :moving said door engaging means along said track member to open and close the door when so engaged. f v2. Anelevator .door .operating device foruse in?.

an elevator cab, comprising a riser track pivotally mounted on said cab with capacity to move about its pivot toward and away from said door, a door-engaging arm mounted for movement along said riser track to open and close said door, and means for swinging said riser track about its pivot to advance and retract said arm toward and away from said door, thereby effecting engagement of said arm with and disengagement of said arm from said door.

3. Door operating mechanism for opening and closing a door mounted in the opening of an elevator shaft, comprising a keeper xed to the door, said keeper facing said shaft, a guide track pivotally mounted on the elevator cab with capacity to swing toward and away from said keeper, a door operator arm mounted on said guide track with capacity for movement longitudinally thereof, and for bodily movement with said guide track as it swings about its pivot, moving means attached to said guide track to swing it toward and away from the keeper thereby engaging and disengaging the door operator arm and the keeper, and power means for moving the door operator arm longitudinally of said guide track when engaged with said keeper, thereby moving said door.

4. Door operating mechanism for opening and closing a door mounted in the opening of an elevator shaft, comprising a keeper fixed to the door, said keeper facing said shaft, a guide track pivotally mounted on the elevator cab with capacity to swing toward and away from said keeper, a door operator arm mounted on said guide track with capacity for movement longitudinally thereof, and for bodily movement with said guide track as it swings about its pivot, resilient means continuously urged against said guide track to swing it toward said keeper to effect engagement of the door operator arm upon the keeper, and prime mover means attached to said guide track with capacity to swing it in opposition to said resilient means to disengage said door operator arm from said keeper, and means for moving the door operator arm longitudinally of said guide track when engaged with said keeper, thereby moving said door.

5. An elevator door operating device for operating a door in an elevator shaft aperture, comprising a keeper in the form of a channel mounted on said door and opening inwardly toward said elevator shaft, a guide track mounted on said elevator cab with capacity to shift toward and away from said channel, a mechanical linkage accessible from within the cab attached to said guide track, power operated means mounted on said elevator cab attached to said mechanical linkage to shift the guide track toward and away from said channel, a door operator arm mounted on said guide track with capacity to move longitudinally thereof, said door operator arm extending toward said channel, and means for Amoving the door engaging arm longitudinally of said guide track.

6. An elevator door operating device for operating a door in an elevator shaft aperture, comprising a keeper in the form of a channel mounted on said door and opening inwardly toward said elevator shaft, a guide track mounted on said elvator cab with capacity to shift toward and away from said channel, a mechanical linkage accessible from within the cab attached to said guide track, power operated means mounted on said elevator cab and attached to said Y .j K mechanical linkage toshift the guide track toward and away from said channel, crank means within the elevator cab cletachably engageable with said mechanical linkage for advancing and retracting said guide track, a door operator arm mounted on said guide track with capacity to move longitudinally thereof, said door operator arm extending toward said channel, and means for moving the door engaging arm longitudinally of said guide track.

'7. Door operating mechanism for opening and closing a door mounted in the opening of an elevator shaft, comprising a keper fixed to the door, said keeper facing said shaft, a guide track pivotally mounted on the elevator cab with capacity to swing bodily upwardly through an arc away from said keeper and bodily downwardly through the same arc toward said keeper, a door operator arm mounted on said guide track with capacity for movement longitudinally thereof, and for bodily movement with the track as it swings through said arc, means for moving said door operator arm longitudinally of said guide track, power means attached to said guide track to lift it upwardly retracting said door operator arm from said keeper, and releasing means inactivating said power means, whereby the guide track is released to fall through said arc by reason or" its own weight toward said keeper, effecting engagement of the door operator arm with said keeper.

8. Elevator door operating mechanism comprising a keeper on the elevator door, a pair of spaced pivots fixed to the elevator cab, swinging arms attached to each of said pivots, a riser track pivoted at spaced points to each of said swinging arms with capacity to reciprocate bodily through a limited arc about said fixed pivots, keeper engaging means mounted for movement along said riser track, means for moving said keeper engaging means along said riser track, a motor on said elevator cab, flexible connecting means connecting said fmotor to said riser track with capacity to lift it through said arc, releasing means inactivating said motor, said riser track having capacity to fall by gravity through Vsaid arc when said motor is inactivated, and counterbalancing means attached to said flexible connecting means effective to reduce the torque on said motor.

9. Door operating mechanism for opening and closing a door mounted in the opening of an elevator shaft, comprising a keeper xed to the door, said keeper facing said shaft, a guide track pivotally mounted on the elevator cab with capacity to swing toward and away from said keeper, a door operator arm mounted on said guide track with capacity for movement longitudinally thereof, and for bodily movement with said guide track as it swings about its pivot, moving means attached to said guide track to swing it toward and away from the keeper thereby engaging and disengaging the door operator arm and the keeper, power means for moving the door operator arm longitudinally of said guide track when engaged with said keeper, thereby moving said door, hoisting means for moving said elevator cab up and down said shaft, and switch means connected to energize said hoisting means, said switch means also being connected to said guide track moving means with capacity automatically to retract said guide track upon energization of said hoist means.

1U. Door operating mechanism for opening and closing a door mounted in the opening of an elevator shaft. comprising a keeper xed to the door,

said keeper facing said shaft, a guide track pivotally mounted on the elevator cab with capacity to swing toward and away from said keeper, a door operator arm mounted on said guide track with capacity for movement longitudinally thereof, and for bodily movement with said guide track as it swings about its pivot, moving means attachedto said guide track to swing it toward and away from the keeper thereby engaging and disengaging the door operator' arm and the keeper, power means for moving the door operator arm longitudinally of said guide track when engaged with said keeper, thereby moving said door, and switch means disposed in the path of movement of said door operator arm to inactivate said Y power means when said guide track is retracted from said keeper.

11. Door operating mechanism for opening and closing a door mounted in the opening of an elevator shaft, comprising a keeper fixed to the door, said keeper facing said shaft, a guide track pivotally mounted on the elevator cab with capacity to swing toward and away from said keeper, a door operator arm mounted on said guide track with capacity for movement longitudinally therel() of, and for bodily movement with said guide track as it swings about its pivot, moving means attached to said guide track to swing it toward and away from the keeper thereby engaging and disengaging the door operator arm andthe keeper, power means for moving the door operator arm longitudinally of said guide -track when engaged with said keeper, thereby moving said door, hoisting means for said elevator cab, cam means fixed to said riser track, and switch means mounted in the path of movement of said cam means and connected to said hoisting means, said switch means being eiective when contacted by said cam means to prevent energization of said hoisting means.

WILLIAM C. CLIFT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Peelle Sept. 26, 1944 Guilbert, Jr., et al. Feb. 14, 1950 Number 

